Graduation Day
by owlwayssandforever
Summary: Its the Marauders last day at Hogwarts, and things are changing rapidly.


**House:** _Ravenclaw_ **| Year:** _1_ **| Category:** _Prompts_ **| Prompt:** _Last day at school_ **| Word Count:** _1038  
_Hogwarts School Insane Prompt Challenge | House: Gryffindor | Prompt: 426 - Occasion - Graduation_  
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o . o . o

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"Can you believe we did it?" Sirius said, taking a long swig from the half-empty bottle of Firewhisky in his hand as he bounced the leg he had flung over the back of the sofa. He was the only one still wearing his graduation robes, disheveled as they were, the rest of the Gryffindors having shed theirs as soon as the official celebrations had ended.

"It's mad, we really aren't students anymore," James agreed, his arm thrown casually around Lily's shoulders.

"Real life starts tomorrow," Remus stated, making the others groan.

"No, I don't even want to think about that," Sirius denied, shaking his head.

"At least you all have jobs," Peter sulked, biting at his lip anxiously.

"Don't worry, something will come through soon, and you know McGonagall will help you however she can," Lily said, trying to reassure him.

"Maybe," he sighed glumly.

"Jobs are hardly the most important thing anyway," James said, and Remus and Lily both snorted into their drinks.

"Says the guy who has a big enough inheritance to live on for five lifetimes," Remus mumbled, taking a large gulp of butterbeer.

"I don't—" James began to protest, but the others all snickered at him. "Fine, so what? I didn't mean in that way, I just meant that… with all the crazy shit that's happening right now, doesn't all of that matter more than anything else?"

"There's going to be a war," Marlene said, her voice loud and clear and certain.

There was silence in response to her statement, no one quite sure what to say. In the stillness, an owl flew through the open window, clutching a handful of letters, and dropping one in the lap of each of the graduates.

"What is this?" Sirius asked, looking at the letter as if something foul had been dropped on him rather than a piece of parchment.

_Ms. Evans,_

_Now that you have graduated and are no longer a student under my care, I wish to invite you to participate in a rather special project of mine._

_As I'm sure you are aware, there is a dangerous shift taking place in society at the moment, one that I am most anxious to prevent. I am establishing an organization with this aim, and I think you would be a good fit. There is much more to be said on the matter, but none of it by letter. Should you decide that you would like to learn more, please attend a meeting per the details below._

_June 28th, 20:15_  
_12 Victoria Rd, Aldbourne_

_Congratulations on your graduation._

_A. Dumbledore_

Lily looked up when she had finished reading her letter allowed, glancing at the others for confirmation that their letters were the same. Everyone nodded—eight identical letters.

"What does it mean?" Mary asked, looking around the common room nervously.

"It means he's forming an army," Remus stated.

They exchanged curious glances, no one wanting to ask the question that was on the tip of all of their tongues.

"Should we go?" Dorcas said at last, giving voice to their shared curiosity.

"I guess that needs to be a personal decision," Remus answered after a prolonged silence.

"Why wouldn't you go?" Sirius scoffed, draining the last of his Firewhisky.

"Not everyone wants to be a soldier," Peter replied defensively. "Some of us might not be all that keen to die."

"Not fighting won't keep you safe, Peter," Lily said softly. She could understand his reticence, but they were all fooling themselves if they thought any of them could be safe by staying out of this war. Well, maybe James and Sirius could, their family names might protect them. But what use was being safe if all your friends were dead?

"I know that, but…" he trailed off, almost as though he wasn't sure what his objection was. "We're only eighteen, what use could we possibly be in a war? We've just graduated, we don't know anything beyond what we've learned in school. You and Mary are going on your Healers course, but you don't know anything beyond how to heal a cut right now. Sirius wants to be an Auror, but he hasn't started any of the training, and James is going to play Quidditch, which to be honest is about as useful as being a Muggle. What do any of us know about fighting against dark magic, against people with darkened souls? We'd be cannon fodder, that's all."

"Someone has to be," Remus said sadly.

"And that's enough for you?" James challenged. "You're ready to die, just like that?"

"If it means protecting everyone else," Remus answered, heat rising in his cheeks.

"I'll be killed even if I don't fight, just for being a Muggleborn," Lily said, lifting her chin defiantly. "I might as well die doing something useful."

"You're not going to die _at all_," James growled, his arm tightening around her reflexively.

"I understand not wanting to die," Marlene interjected, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. "But it's really more a question of right and wrong."

"All that's needed for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing," Mary mused quietly, more to herself than anyone else.

"What was that?" James said, his head whipping around to face her.

"It's something Kennedy said a while back. Mum thought it was brilliant," Mary replied with a shrug. "Seems appropriate though."

"Look, if we all join up together, we can protect each other," Dorcas reasoned. "We'll all have each other's backs, and hopefully we can decrease the risk of anyone dying. Maybe we can all get through this."

Sirius shook his head.

"There's no way we all make it out alive," he said. "But I'll take one person surviving over none."

"So we're all going to fight?" Lily clarified.

"Yeah," James answered with a nervous look around. "Yeah, we're all doing this together."

"Cheers to that," Sirius said sourly, grabbing Remus' butterbeer and downing it in one.

None of them had anticipated that they would be spending their last few hours at Hogwarts contemplating mortality and the complications that were arising for their futures. But the impending war was changing everything, and if they didn't do something, they would lose their whole world to it.


End file.
